Speculation: Potential Sequel for "The Muppets"

I've always been a huge fan of "Alternate Universe" or "Dark Universe" versions of usually light characters (Star Trek does it, the Muppets do it there...) It really highlights the brightness of their normal selves and develops something about the character. (Although Gonzo's darkness seemed to follow him back and get stuck to him for Mwoo and LTS too!)

I loved the fact it was back at the Theater (something that they did again for The Muppets), loved Bitterman as the villain, and love most of the quick-fire jokes. Its obviously a tv-special, not a movie (I'd never hold it against MTM or TMM) but it really brought aspects of the characters to life for me. AND it heralded the return of Fozzie after his dire MCC, MTI and MFS performances...

I've always been a huge fan of "Alternate Universe" or "Dark Universe" versions of usually light characters (Star Trek does it, the Muppets do it there...) It really highlights the brightness of their normal selves and develops something about the character.

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I like that too normally, I just didn't feel like I learned anything about the characters here. It just felt gratuitous and shocking and nothing else under that.

Are we really back on this? VMC has icky parts, yes, but mostly to highlight the non-Icky ending (ala. Its a Wonderful Life) but I think Fozzie's pickpocketing, Gonzo's homelessness, Sam's drug issues and Piggy's destitute situation overshadow Scooter's dancing to be honest...

I've always been a huge fan of "Alternate Universe" or "Dark Universe" versions of usually light characters (Star Trek does it, the Muppets do it there...) It really highlights the brightness of their normal selves and develops something about the character. (Although Gonzo's darkness seemed to follow him back and get stuck to him for Mwoo and LTS too!)

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Think of it this way... if you felt that the alternative timeline was disturbing, think of how disturbing it was for Kermit (though I'm sure he enjoyed seeing Mr. Wholesome All American Sam as a rave monkey). I don't think it would have had the same impact if the rest of the characters were just kinda bummed or something. Like if Biff Tannen becoming rich made Hill Valley a futuristic Utopia and Marty's mother being happier with Biff than she ever was with Mr. McFly.

Would you believe there was some television show (or cartoon or movie, I forget which) that did a parody of "It's a Wonderful Life" and the town was all the better for someone not being born, and everyone thought it was pretty depressing and almost sadistic?

Though I will say some of the alternate versions of the characters make more sense than others. Fozzie being a pickpocket... works. After all, in the first movie he was seen at a very shady looking bar... hanging around the bad crowd, can't get any good work, falls on terrible times... Gonzo and Amy the brick. A depressed, suppress Gonzo who has no one appreciating his madness? Also works. But above all, Piggy's lot in life as a struggling actress who winds up taking a terrible, soulless job as a telephone psychic (could have been real blue there... even Rocko of Rocko's Modern Life wound up doing that), also being miserable and alone. Works best of all. Kermit and Piggy, as this movie proved, need each other. Kermit and Piggy give each other confidence and love. Without that, we get a depressed Piggy who's a shell of what she could be (VMX) and a very depressed Kermit who just doesn't care (TM)...if nothing else, THAT made VMX. Just ignore half of that sequence... it works better.

Would you believe there was some television show (or cartoon or movie, I forget which) that did a parody of "It's a Wonderful Life" and the town was all the better for someone not being born, and everyone thought it was pretty depressing and almost sadistic?

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The show Psych sort of did that, only it was that everyone was better off if the main character hadn't come to town. That worked pretty well actually, lol.

Though I will say some of the alternate versions of the characters make more sense than others. Fozzie being a pickpocket... works.

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The idea does work. The execution would have been done brilliantly years ago, but did not work in this case for me.

God! NOW i'm starting to wonder if buying each the kids (my gf's niece and nephew's) a DVD copy of IAVMMCM just this past christmas was a good idea or not? I know there parents like muppet too and said when the kids opened them was "ooooh cool, we'll watch that tonight".....tho im sure the "nasty stuff" went over the kids heads! hey they watch some gross stuff on Cartoon Network i seen, some show called gumballs and a show with some blue jay bird that hangs out with (i think) a rat??? Thos shows are kinda gross too (from what I seen anyways!)

God! NOW i'm starting to wonder if buying each the kids (my gf's niece and nephew's) a DVD copy of IAVMMCM just this past christmas was a good idea or not? I know there parents are muppet fans too and said when the kids opened them was "ooooh cool, we'll watch that tonight".....tho im sure the "nasty stuff" went over the kids heads!

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Don't worry most of it probably will go over their heads (thankfully). But I do think this is the kind of reason some people have been turned off by the post-Henson stuff. I just don't think there's much else to get out of the film beyond some gratuitous shock moments. But that's just me. If other people like it, that's fine. I personally don't consider it canon.

i think that whole movie was purposefully attempting to have them be edgy and darker, and i think when they do that it just turns out uneven. i liked some parts of it, but on the whole it didn't feel right

I seen them (my gf's niece and nephew's) not to long ago, when we stopped at there house and they were watching in another room "Muppet Wizard of Oz" (which I also bought them this past Halloween! Yea I gave them each a DVD copy of MWoO with candy lol) and the 7 year old asked me why Gonzo as Tin Thing has pointy nipples!! LOL. but i asked if they like IAVMMCM and they said it was funny...so yeah MUST be some thinsg did go over there heads.

i think that whole movie was purposefully attempting to have them be edgy and darker, and i think when they do that it just turns out uneven. i liked some parts of it, but on the whole it didn't feel right

the muppets just aren't "dark"

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Oh I think the Muppets can be dark and have been before. They just aren't here. It felt like a teenager attempting to be adult but just seeming immature.